MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. - The University of Minnesota softball team has qualified for its first NCAA Regional appearance since 2003, as it learned on Sunday night that it will travel to Seattle, Wash., for the Washington Regional, which begins on Friday.

On Saturday, game times are 3:00 p.m. CT (winner’s bracket), 5:30 p.m. CT (consolation bracket) and 8:00 p.m. CT (elimination game). Sunday, the championship game will be at 3:00 p.m. CT, and a second game will be played at 5:30 p.m. CT if necessary.

Minnesota is coming off a second-place finish at the 2013 Big Ten Tournament in Lincoln, Neb. The third-seeded Gophers defeated Penn State, 4-0, and No. 14/16 Nebraska, 1-0, before falling to Wisconsin in the championship game, 9-3.

It will be the first time Minnesota has played any of the other teams this season. Minnesota owns an all-time mark of 1-1 against the Rainbow Wahine, but the schools haven't played since a 3-0 win by the Gophers at New Mexico State's Troy Cox Roadrunner Invitational on March 3, 1990. The Gophers are 0-3-1 all-time against Washington and 2-1 against Portland State.

The Gophers started this season 3-6, but they have gone 32-11 since that point in spite of the fact they played just six games this season in Minneapolis. Minnesota went 14-6 in the Big Ten to finish in third place, its best finish in the conference since a second-place finish during 1999. The Gophers also advanced to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 1999.

This season marked Minnesota's third-straight 30-plus win season under Allister. It's the first time the Gophers have accomplished that since 2004.

Minnesota last qualified for a regional during 2003, when it traveled to Tuscon, Ariz. The Gophers defeated Cal State Northridge, 3-0, before losing to Arizona, 4-0, and Boston College, 4-2. Minnesota also played host to a regional during 2002.

All session and single game tickets will be available Monday by calling (206) 543-2200. All session reserved tickets are $36 and all session general admission adult are $24.